Mobile communications devices now provide users with the ability to share files with other mobile communication users as well as desktop and laptop users. For example, a user wanting to share a picture with friends may send an email to those friends and attach the picture file to the email. The friends are able to read the email and to open the attached file.
As mobile communication devices advance, users are also able to search and view Internet content. However, the ability for a mobile communication device to share viewed Internet content is limited by the format, the type of content, and the website.
One approach to sharing content is provided by the website. In this method, a user who wants a friend to see the content may request the website to send the content to the friend. The method is commonly implemented by having a button that, when selected (“clicked on”) by the user, responds with a box that allows the user to input an email address for the friend. The website then communicates directly with the friend. The communication sent by the website may include a link to the content a text-only version, or some other information. However, the communication may or may not be exactly what the user wanted the recipient to see. Furthermore, the communication to the friend is provided by the website, such that the user can share information only from websites that provide the service, and each website may require the user to input information, including for example, the user's name and contact information and their friend's name and contact information. Unless the website provides this service, the user might not be able to share the content with others.
A second approach to a user sharing content with a recipient generally involves the user sending a link to the content. This approach may be disadvantageous due to the fact that only a link, and not the content, is actually shared with the recipient. As a result, the actual content may not be accessible by the recipient if the content is expired or moved. Furthermore, the recipient needs to be online to access the content. As the recipient receives a link to the content instead of the actual content, the recipient needs to have access to the Internet at the time the recipient wishes to see the content. Another drawback of this system is that the website may require the user to subscribe to the website before allowing them to view the content.